Improvement in water-wheels



itinited gieten i aient (emite.

DWIGHT CUSHMAN, OF HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT.

Letters Patent No. 106,787, dated August 30, 1870.

f IMPROVEMENT IN WATER-WHEELS.

The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making part of the same.

To alkwhom it' may concern Beit known that I, DWIGHT CUSHMAN, of Hartford, county of Hartford and State of Connecticut,

lhave invented certain'new and useful .Improvements -drical sleeve, arranged to rise and fall over the w'heel chamber,- having a perforated flange projecting from its lower edge, and so formed as to allow the upper end-of the water-guide plates to enter said perforations and be supported thereby. w

The objectof said flanged cylindrical-'sleeve is to regulate the quant-ity or low of water between the water guide-plates, .to act upon ,the wheel, andY to insure the instant closing of the ow of water from the wheel, when desirable, by its own gravity.

In the accompanying:drawingj Figure l is a side 'elevation ot' this wheel.

Figure 2 is the bed-plate of the wheel.

Figure 3 is the top plate o f the same.

Figure 4 is the wheel broken away onone side, to show the form of the buckets.

Figure 5 is a side sectional elevation of the sliding eylindricalilanged sleeve.

"of which is dropped into an orifice or opening vin the bottom of the flume.

(l is a spider or wheel-support, the ends of which are firmly secured to the-hed-plate a, in the hub or center of which is provided a step (such as is in common use) for the lower end of the wheel-shaft e, and upon which it revolves.

' f is the top plate of the wheel-case, (see iig. 3,) having a cylindrical depression, g, in the upper side, .and a central box-elevation or bearing, h, for the upper end of the wheel-shaft e.

i (figs. 5 and 6) is a-V sliding cylindrical flange-sleeve, .which is fitted closely, and moves freely up and down upon the outside of the cylindrical depression g ofthe top plate j'.

The flange j is arranged a little distance above the -lower edge ofthe sleeve, and the lower edge of the sleeve is made' basil-shaped, so that any small obstruction lying upon the surface of the plate a shall not prevent the gate or sleeve/i from perfectly shutting ofi the water from the wheel.

7sl are bosses or flanges, formed on the upper edge of the sleevei, in which the lifting-rods l are lirmly secured, and pass up through the plate f, and are connected by gearing, so as toproduce the lifting and adjusting action thereof by devices as are.' m common r use.

The ange i has periorations m, into or through which the upper ends of the water guide-plates n areiitted, so that the sleeve i, with its llange j, may he freely and easily raised and lowered over the upper ends of the plates n, thereby perfectly supporting and protecting the upper ends of the plates n, and securing a fixed and uniform water-passage to the wheel, and so that, by lifting or depressing the flangesleeve, a greater or lesser supply ot' water may be introduced, to give action to the wheel, and so that if, by any accident, the gate or Hangs-sleeve will close hy its own gravity, thereby preventing great damage or loss of life or limb, which might otherwise occur.

The plates n are cast, formed, or secured in their proper position upon the plate a, (see iig. 2.)

' These plates are firmly secured together, wlth the mechanism inclosed therein, by means of stud-bolts o.

By this construction or arrangement I am enabled to produce a cheaper wheel, efficient and durable, and, by its use, less liability to serious accidents.

I believe l liave thus shown the nature, construction, and advantage of this invention, so as to enable others skilled in the art to make and use the same therefrom.

. What I claim, therefore, and desire tolsecure by The combination of k thellanged sleeve 'i with the plates a f and wheel c, all constructed and arranged 

